Vikings kick things off despite the heat

View full sizeRandy L. Rasmussen/The OregonianQuarterbacks Josh Milhollin (8) and Collin Ramirez (7) took most of the snaps with the first- and second-string offenses Sunday during Portland State's opening practice.

Portland State coach Nigel Burton got the "family" reunion he'd been looking forward to when his Vikings kicked off fall practice Sunday afternoon, but there was one guest no one was excited about: the heat.

The temperature on the Stott Community Field was 96 degrees midway through practice, while the turf registered about 15 degrees warmer.

"It'll sneak up on you and get you," sophomore quarterback Josh Milhollin said.

The evidence surrounded the practice field. Cramped-up players shuttled between the sidelines and their teammates crowded the water dispensers and bottles to try to avoid the same fate.

Still, Burton seemed pleased with the first day's showing.

"I think the heat got to us a little bit, which I don't like because I know the work that they put in," he said. "But I liked our energy and I thought our execution was pretty good."

A solid summer

Players and coaches agreed that a solid summer of 7-on-7 workouts and team building, coupled with a high-caliber recruiting class allowed the team to tackle a more difficult regimen than in years past.

Senior linebacker Ian Sluss said having the freshman-class players on campus for the summer helped the defense.

"(All the new players) knew the defense coming in the first day," he said. "It is just such a better, united feel -- a little bit more of a family feel -- that we are trying to go for. Bringing (everyone) in the summer was the best thing we could have done. Everybody is on the right page, everybody knows each other personally and that helps you communicate on and off the field."

The Vikings

First scrimmage: 10 a.m. Saturday

First game: vs. Carroll College,5 p.m. Sept. 1

Despite the heat, the team picked up at the same fast tempo Burton adopted last year, cramming as many as 26 plays into a 10-minute period. Sluss said that was in line with the team's 2012 slogan: No Excuses.

"We don't want people to come out here and (complain about) having blisters and cramps," he said. "We just want everybody to get to work, get our stuff down and show what we can do because we know that we can make it far."

The increased number of plays allowed the coaches to get an extended look at the six quarterbacks battling to start.

Milhollin and junior college transfer Collin Ramirez took most of the snaps with the first- and second-string offenses, while four others -- including two freshmen -- also got numerous reps.

"Our plan is to try to leave (the competition) as open a competition as we can through the first week and try to weed it down a little bit the second week and by the third week try to lock into our guy for the beginning (of the season)," Burton said.

Imposing bookends

The most noticeable difference from the spring game came on the defensive line.

Transfers Marquis Jackson and Nick Alexander -- both listed at over 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds -- are imposing new bookends on a front that lost four key contributors from last year. Along with fellow transfers Tomasi Molesi and Zack Ka'ahanui and redshirt Jeremy Boone, the group of newcomers has the potential to transform a glaring hole into a team strength.

Burton liked what he saw, but was careful in doling out praise.

"There are just a lot of little detail things," Burton said. "We need to make sure that with all these new guys, the guys who've been here really teach them in terms of the details and the manner in which we operate."

Sluss summed up the general mood as his hot and sweaty teammates made their way off the field.

"I think it went smooth, fast and productively," he said. "Everybody is just down to business, doing our work and having fun while we do it." Note:Former Lake Oswego High running back Steven Long, Oregonian Class 6A Offensive Player of the Year for 2011, will grayshirt the 2012 season.